Copyright 2001, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.
By David Swarts
Two-time AMA 250cc Grand Prix Champion Chuck Sorensen qualified on pole and took first place on both days of the second annual Deep South Classic Invitational XR100 TT November 10-11 in Cullman, Alabama. Sorensen, a dirt track instructor with Advantage Racing School, beat a field of 25 including Brian Parriott, Josh Hayes, Aaron Yates, Bill St. John, James Lickwar, Thomas Montano, James Siddall and Keith Perry on an eighth-mile dirt course in Northern Alabama.
Organized by Project Monza/Cycle Specialties of Athens-sponsored racer Bill St. John, the for-fun race featured a highly-organized structure including technical inspection, a 90-minute practice session, a four-lap “Superpole” qualifying session, two 10-lap races for the top qualifiers and a 10-lap “Consolation Race” for the bottom half of the qualifiers. The rules mandated stock exhausts with stock baffles, 125cc maximum displacement including Yamaha TT-R125s, no knobbie tires and MX moto scoring to determine the overall winner of the Championship.
In Saturday’s qualifying, Sorensen was fastest followed by Parriott and St. John but the final finishing order of the day was Sorensen, Parriott and Hayes. Hayes, along with Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki Crew Chief Keith Perry, rode Honda XR100s fitted with Penske shocks. According to Perry, there are only five Penske XR100 shocks in existence.
The winner of Saturday’s consolation race was Alabama-based photographer Louis Gagne.
The original program called for a Saturday-only program, but when Yoshimura Suzuki’s Aaron Yates showed up on Sunday, many of the competitors changed their flight plans and a second race program was added. In Sunday’s qualifying, Sorensen again took pole with Yates second ahead of Parriott. Sorensen then took the day’s overall win with Yates second ahead of St. John.
According to Race Director Lickwar, plans for the 2003 third annual Deep South Classic Invitational XR100 TT are already under way.